Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-01
CLIMATOLOGY.
And Diseases of Southern
California.
MORTALITY OF THE CITY.
Valuable Facts Culled From DR.. H.
s. Orme's roprrt a"d Statistics
From the Health Uiiice.

DR.. Ms. Orme, President of the State
Board of Health, at the Ninth Biennial
meeting of the State Board. presented
very valuable paper On the Climatology,
and Diseases of Southern California.
from which most of the facts contained
in this article have been reproduced
nearly verbatim. Its length only pre-
vented its entire reproduction in these
columns. The statistics regarding the
mortality and births in this city have
been taken partially from the yearly re-
port of DR.. Baker, Health Officer, Los
Angeles:
TOPOGRAPHY.
The territory to which this inquiry is
restricted, embraces the counties OF
Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles,
San Bernardino, and San Diego.
1t comprises an irregular outline ex.
tending about from latitude 80 30 to 80
40 and from longitude 81 to Az 4O. In
the direction of the parallels it's extreme
width is 800 miles, and its extreme
length 230 miles. Its coast line following
the indentions, measures about 53O
miles.
-Four of the FIVE counties have a wide
exposure TO the sea; and but one OF the
Eve. viz. San Bernardino. is entirely in.
land, Two.thirds of the coast line OF
San Barta ara county, and about One-half
of Los Angeles county presentd south
erly exposure. The remaining portion
of the entire coast line faces westerly or
southwesterly. Between the most east
erly point Of the coast and the most
westerly, there is distance of 2l5
miles.
The western part of this region is
traversed by low ranges OF mountains,
having an average altitude Of $500 to
5000 feet. A few of the highest peaks
exceed 1000 feet in altitude; the culmi-
mating peak, Mount San BernardinO,
reaches to a height of II, 500 feet above
sea level. These mountain ranges in
close number of small but fertile val
leys, few of which are settled. ALI Of
them are capable of supporting popu.
lation OF moderate density.
The eastern portion consists of an arid
and tolerable level tract, usually called
the Mojave Desert. A small portion of
this in the extreme southern part Of the
State is known as the Colorado Desert.
It is separated from the former by few
isolated ridges which form the southern
remnant of the San Bernardino Noun.
tains. The western part of this arid
region has an altitude OF 2O0O feet, the
central and eastern parts are much lower
and in several places are below the sea
level. Two of these depressions, Death
Valley, and the sink of the San Felipe
river, are about 400 feet below the sea.
The lowest point On the Southern Pa.
cific roailroad through the Colorado
desert is twenty-six miles east of Indio,
or five miles west of Dos Palmas; this is
two hundred and sixty-six feet below
the sea level. o From this point the
ground falls off south, until reaching a
point half mile distant, the level bot.
tom of the desert in the form of salt bed
is found; this is two hundred and eighty
feet below the sea. This is where the
Eew Liverpool" salt company are
erating, and have their works.
But by far the most important part of
s uthern California is the western slope
oi the coast range Of mountains, which,
from narrow strip in the north, widens
to . broad plain in the south.
1t area is materially increased also by
the valleys of numerous short rivers
which traverse the mountain ranges and
flow towards the ocean. This region is
possessed of wonderful fertility, and is
capable of supporting denser popula-
ton than any other part of California.
The conditions of soil and climate are
such, that it will produce almost any
crop that can be grown between the lat |
itudes of Lake Manitoba and Key West. |
It is this region which we shall chiefly
consider in speaking of Southern Cali
fornia.
In Southern California, as on the
Pacific Coast generally, the rainfall oc.
ours almost wholly during the winter
months. A few scattering showers oc.
our in November and December; heavier |
rains fall during the following three
months. especially during February and
March. There are occasional rains in
April, and rarely in May. In the noun
tains. however, there are at times heavy
mists, and even dashes of rain.
The average rainfall of the southern
part of the State may be seen from the
following table. OF the five stations
mentioned, Santa Barbara and San Diego
are on the coast; Los Angeles is about
seventeen miles inland. San Bernar-
dino about sixty miles inland. Yuma is
situated in the heart of the arid basin
region, the town is just over the line in
Arizona (old Fort Yuma is in California.
Average
STATION Rainfall |
tiv.i iua